The value of the "250" tournaments (the new group of MM tournaments in 2009)

Due to the ranking points change* in 2009, there will be a new group of ultimate ATP Mickey Mouse tournaments. They are the tournaments that didn't get the "1000" or "500" status for the new calendar. The list of "250's" include tournaments such as Queen's, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Vienna, Moscow, etc. The value of winning one of these "250" tournaments will be really low compared to the bigger events and will most likely result in a weaker player field. The "250's" should really be named as the new Challenger Series in 2009.

*The current ranking point allocation

Grand Slam winner = 1000 points
Masters Series winner = 500 points (50% of Slam winner)
IS Gold winner = 250/300 points (25-30% of Slam winner, 50-60% of MS winner)
IS winner = 175/200/225/250 points (17,5-25% of Slam winner, 35-50% of MS winner, 60-100% of IS Gold winner)

*The 2009 ranking point allocation

GS winner = 2000 points
Masters 1000 winner = 1000 points (50% of Slam winner)
"500" winner = 500 points (25% of Slam winner, 50% of Masters winner)
"250" winner = 250 points (12,5% of Slam winner, 25% of Masters winner, 50% of "500" winner)

for example, in 2009 winning Queen's will give 250 points while winning the the Wimbledon gives 2000 points

or

winning Moscow will give 250 points, winning Paris gives 1000 points

The top players won't bother to play the "250's" unless the price money/appearance fee is sky high.

They should be the 350s.

great to see all german tournaments in this category :o


oh wait, we still have the world team cup. i guess we should be grateful to mr disney.

They should be the 350s.

Send the memo to Mr. Disney

Also the grass court season has even less value from now on :rolleyes:

It wouldn't surprise me if it just escaped their attention that the new "350" are not the equivalent of the current 175 events.

The worst thing is that this just creates an upper tier of challengers, the "500" and the "1000" events will be harder to entry, especially combined with the 1st round byes for the top players.

Send the memo to Mr. Disney

I have already got the "Fuck you Mr Disney shirts on order". Or if you want "Mr Disney out clap your hands".

Some of the IS events award 225 points (or am I imagining that?) so they are going to see their "value" to the players half.

Some of the IS events award 225 points (or am I imagining that?) so they are going to see their "value" to the players half.

that's right, Moscow is even 250 points

Moscow's draw has been looking like a challenger's one for the last 5 years so 250 points are perfect measure of its players list quality.
But Queen's should be a "500" event.

Unless you're lucky enough to be a citizen of one of the countries hosting the major events, it's going to be a lot harder for new players to make their breakthrough. The difference in ranking points is more colossal than ever before. I take it the existing challengers and futures will not double their ranking points too.

Yes, the apartheid system is complete now. Deliberate strategy from Mr.Disney to make it harder for players to make into the next level and also having some events with only 28 player draws.

Hamburg from a Masters to a MM :awww:

So which lucky tournaments are 500?

Federer will dominate easily, once again.

So which lucky tournaments are 500?

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=110966

There you go.

Unless you're lucky enough to be a citizen of one of the countries hosting the major events, it's going to be a lot harder for new players to make their breakthrough.

So true.

In addition, Hamburg has been reserved a "500" level week.


I think this has something to do with the lawsuit of the DTB against the ATP. If they lose Hamburg's gonna get downgrated to a 500 event.